Forum Topic

Are the criteria for being “extremely vulnerable” too narrow?

I was pleased to learn that the supermarkets are cooperating with the government to make sure the extremely vulnerable can order online deliveries. My wife and I are 72 and 75 and both have underlying health issues. I contacted the helpful Covid-19 Community Hub and asked them what I should do. We were both being told to stay at home for three months and avoid going out to shop. I received a prompt reply saying I should register online.I did so. Then I got to the list with tick boxes to confirm our vulnerability. Here’s the list:You’re extremely vulnerable if you:- have had a solid organ transplant- have any cancer and are getting chemotherapy- have lung cancer and are getting radical radiotherapy- have cancer of the blood or bone marrow, at any stage of treatment - for example, leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma- have any cancer for which you’re getting immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments- have any cancer for which you’re getting a targeted treatment which can affect the immune system - for example, protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors- have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or are still taking immunosuppression drugs- have a severe respiratory condition - including cystic fibrosis, severe asthma or severe COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)- have a rare disease or inborn error of metabolism that significantly increases your risk of infection - for example SCID or homozygous sickle cell- are getting an immunosuppression therapy that’s sufficient to significantly increase your risk of infection- are pregnant, and have a significant congenital or acquired heart diseaseI can’t quarrel with any of these. Although being asked to give my age, the yes/no allowing you to continue to register works only if you’ve ticked one of the options above; age does not seem to have any effect. The often mentioned background health issues - diabetes (me) or background asthma (my wife) do not appear. Why are the criteria so restricted?I don't feel I need or want volunteers to deliver food parcels (at least not yet) and I’d prefer to order online. My friends and neighbours have kindly offered to shop and help if we need it, and the hot cross buns delivered yesterday were very welcome. I know how bad Covid-19 can be. My 40 year old daughter has had it for the last three weeks quite badly.But I think the current way of identifying who should be given priority for online deliveries from supermarkets and other delivery services is flawed as it currently stands.Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 2261d14 Comments

Initiative!  So pleased it hasn't all been lost.  It's Ready Steady Cook every day.  I agree that it is difficult to tell what degree of 'vulnerable' we all are.  We all have different routines and this can make this new life more difficult to adapt to.

Philippa Bond ● 2260d

Waitrose also had substitutions in my shopping n Sunday but I knew what they were as they'd sent an email prior to the driver's arrival and  i told him which items i'd keep and he t those into a bag and took the rest bag. No touching between us. I didn't want to keep items that other customers might have needed. Meanwhile no empty slots now till kingdom come. Now in our third week since Jean developed symptoms he is still ill (they came back after 2 days respite) so not sure when I can come out of isolation myself. But we have enough food and it's good to learn to be inventive.

Lucille Grant ● 2260d

Sainsbury's website still allows you to amend an order up until 11pm the night before the order. They also have reasonable slot availability at the moment (at least for over 70s).  You don't necessarily get everything you have ordered (to be expected) but they do give you the option of indicating if you are happy to accept substitutes or not online.  I had an order yesterday due for 11-12 and got a phone call from the delivery driver at 9.30 to say he was inmy road doing another delivery and would it be convenient ifhe came now?  Nice to see some initiative :)

Liam Jones ● 2260d

On the whole I think we're quite fortunate to have online shopping. We've been getting some deliveries for ourselves and others, including one recent Ocado order, mainly thanks is to my wife's perseverance which includes checking websites in the middle if the night when I assume the load is lighter. We think that most sites have turns off the amendment facility, certainly at peak times. My guess is that none of the sites were designed for this level of demand and I'm guessing turning off amendment facilities reduces the load on the systems, particularly if customers check to see if they can sneak another couple of loo rolls past the limit allowed! I've not been involved with warehouse and distribution systems for nearly three decades but I'd imagine if several hundred (thousand?) customers are trying to get loo rolls or milk alllocated to the order simultaneously that puts one hell of a load on the systems. At least the Internet seems to be holding up at the moment, who would have guessed thirty years ago one day that would be one of the most vital bit of infrastructure in an emergency?

Michael Ixer ● 2261d

Nick, glad you got sorted eventually.

Michael Ixer ● 2261d

Ed, thanks. I’ve managed to get a delivery in 10 days, a smaller one tomorrow from local shops and lovely friends who are shopping for stayathomes like us. So for the time being we’re OK. Thanks for your help.I’m contributing to charities for the homeless and the less well off, and encourage those who can afford to so not to hold back.Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 2261d

I also use Sainsbury too Bunny, alternating between the two. Now we have lockdown it's impossible to give back unwanted substitutions because the drivers cannot have any contact with customers and need to keep their distance which is understandable.  Whoever thought shopping would be this difficult!? 😼

Sue Hammond ● 2261d

Nick,This is a different link to the national one:https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/public-health/coronavirus/community-hub/Apologies if I miss-understood.Ed

Ed Robinson ● 2261d

In my experience in the past, Sainsbury's are very good.  You need to watch what you to check for "no substitutes" as it's better just to keep it open and see what you get.  Good luck!!

Bunny Payne ● 2261d

Hi David. Thankyou but I know all that cos I've been using Ocado for years.  I don't want to cancel the order, just to amend it. Totally shutting down all methods of accessing the website, together with cutting off contact with CS is unacceptable.

Sue Hammond ● 2261d

In our limited experience of Ocado in the Crisis, you should get an email on the day some hours before the delivery time, telling you of unavailables and also substitutions. That can be sad-making.From their website:- "If you have an order coming in the next three days and you no longer require it, please email ocado@ocado.com with "CANCELLATION" as the subject line."

David Ainsworth ● 2261d

Online supermarket shopping is a lottery atm.  I do fall in the extremely vulnerable category because my MS treatment is of monthly infusions with an immunosuppressant drug.  When I placed an Ocado order over the weekend a message box came up which told me I had priority access and I was diverted straight to the page to book a delivery slot and place an order.  Yippee!  This was fantastic because prior to that I had to join the virtual queue of many 1000's which literally took hours to access the website.  Today I tried to login to amend my order but priority access had gone so I now cannot change or cancel it.  Even the queuing system has now gone so no way at all now to access the site. The customer service telephone lines are also closed due to "exceptional demand levels" so the only other alternative is to email CS, which I did. The automatic response email says they have kept their virtual queuing system (lie!) but they are very busy and hope to respond to queries within 72 hours.  Bloody hopeless. 🤬Sainsbury is much better, at least you can get on the website and there are slots presently available up to the 4th April.

Sue Hammond ● 2261d

Ed, yes, that’s the one I contacted who recommended the link to the government Website. The website I think is too narrow for defining who is extremely vulnerable. There needs to be a second tier for the vulnerable - older and with other health issues. .Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 2261d

Nick have you tried the Wandsworth scheme?https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/public-health/coronavirus/community-hub/

Ed Robinson ● 2261d